Family & Personal Recipes

Late on saturday night as I was preparing an object lesson for my primary kids at church, I realized I had kinda run out of time to bake the 60 cookies that I wanted to give to them for a handout! Instead, I decided to make some cookie-dough balls — if my primary kids were anything like my own kids, I knew they would much prefer these anyway! I substituted the egg in my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe for milk, to make them “edible” and quadrupled the batch. We had SO many left-over, that the adults got to eat some too–and they were a HUGE hit. I don’t think as many people have asked me for one of my recipes as much as this one! So, I told everyone i’d post it on the Blog! I was going to halve, and maybe even halve again, the recipe–but the batch turned out SO spot-on perfect, that I didn’t want to mess it up. They are soft and creamy, with the perfect balance of salt, and sugar and vanilla! I know this recipe makes a lot, but you can freeze any left over cookie dough balls, or make cookie dough ice-cream, or just hand them out to everyone you know to make them love you!

My Grandad turned 80 on sunday, and I wished so badly I could have popped over to see him in England because I miss him so much, but instead I called him for a chat and we were reminiscing a little bit. He said: “do you remember when you told your mother: ‘Mum, I don’t want to eat here, I want to go to Grandad’s house for dinner, because he cooks better.” We were laughing because as a kid I had no idea how offensive that would have been to my poor Mum! But while we had good food at home, it was always fun to pop next door to my Grandads house, and sit on his knee while he fed me, especially as they always had delicious desserts after every meal! One of my favorite things that he and my Granny would make was jam and coconut sponge, which is such a delicious, classic English dessert that just reminds me of them whenever I eat it.

In England, Rhubarb Crumble with ice cream or custard (or in my Dad’s case, ice cream and custard) is a pretty traditional and popular dessert, especially around this time of year. Growing up my Mum and Granny both made rhubarb crumble a lot, and it was so delicious– that the other day when my friend gave some rhubarb from her garden, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it.

Whenever I have over-ripe bananas, I always feel as if I need to make either banana cake or banana bread so I don’t let them go to waste. Well, i’m trying to eat a little healthier since the family is planning a vacation to Hawaii in less than a month’s time–so I went searching online for a healthy banana bread recipe. Then I thought back to all the times I have made banana bread before–and realized, I have never made the same recipe twice, because I have never found a recipe that wasn’t dry and bland! So I decided to turn my all time favorite banana cake recipe (which my mother in law found quite some time ago from food.com) and make it into a banana bread, and top it with a vanilla bean glaze! I know. It’s not healthy AT ALL, but, i’m still a month away from my vacay anyway, right?! I will never make banana bread any other way ever again! I have for sure found my go-to recipe, which makes me really excited! Here it is:More

Today after finding three packets of carrots in my fridge [don't ask] I decided that I would make carrot and apple bisque for dinner to use some of them up. Then after realizing I didn’t actually have any apples, [and am surrounded by bare apple trees], I thought I would have a go at making something much more fun instead–carrot cake! My husband and I love it, but I haven’t had much luck at making it in the past.

About Me

Hi, i’m Sarah. Welcome to “Mattawa Mum” a place for me to share my life as an English stay at home Mum of two, in a small American farm town known as Mattawa. Life out here in the middle of nowhere has been one hard adjustment--I used to live an hour from London, and now I live an hour from a decent grocery store, but I have found that working hard, keeping busy and learning all I can, help me focus on more positive things as I grow as a wife, mother, artist, crafter, photographer, home-cook and now “Country-girl!” I hope you stay a while, and find something fun to read, cute to copy, or good to eat!